The Arrecife City Council, through the figure of José Padrón Bermúdez, a 'conejero' who left Lanzarote fifty years ago, has paid tribute to all those who one day had to leave their country. Born in the south of the Island, he emigrated to Uruguay in the post-war years with the aim of finding a livelihood. Now, José has returned to Lanzarote. "We never forget the land where we were born", José Padrón explained. "I have always been in America trying to represent the Canary Islander, and trying to help those who needed support."
The Arrecife City Council also wanted to include him in the celebrations of International Migrant Day (although the afternoon ones ultimately did not take place due to the arrival of rain and strong gusts of wind) and presented this Lanzarote native with a Canary Visual Encyclopedia and a Golden Album of Canary Music.
Half a century after José emigrated to Uruguay, the world has changed a lot. The Canary Islands, a land of emigrants, has become a claim for immigration that comes mainly from Africa and Latin America. Therefore, and to make their situation a little easier, the Arrecife City Council has published a series of where the history of Lanzarote is explained in four languages: Spanish, French, Chinese and Arabic. "It is a simple but useful tool aimed at the cultural integration of immigrants," explained Emilia Perdomo, Councilor for Social Services of the capital's Consistory. "It is not my intention that the immigrant forgets his culture, but that he knows in his own language the most basic of the environment that surrounds him."
Thus, under the title of "Lanzarote, 2,500 years of history to share", this booklet explains the situation and description of the Island, as well as its history, traditions, gastronomy, symbols of identity and economy. "This Island knows a lot about migrations and should remember a lot," explained Enrique Pérez Parrilla, mayor of the capital. "Sometimes we find situations of xenophobia without understanding the phenomenon of migrations that will accompany us throughout the 21st century"
On the other hand, in Puerto del Carmen, José Juan Cruz Saavedra and the Councilor for Social Services, Yasmina Pérez, have inaugurated the events organized for this Tuesday and next Wednesday. This morning the Raíces group, the youth musical group Los Dueños de la Lirika have performed and a capoeira workshop has also been held. Finally, at the headquarters of the Archipelago of the UGT union they had planned to hold silent concentrations to demand dignified treatment for immigrants, but in Lanzarote it has not been held, despite the call that the union had made for the entire archipelago.
ACN Press/La voz
